So the term co-washing has been popping up all over the web and in the black beauty world these days, but what is it? Well, its Condition washing and what that means is that you simply replace your shampoo with conditioner and it can be done as regularly as you wash your hair. This is called a no-poo regime. However, a shampoo is needed every now and then to give your hair a good cleanse.
So here is what i think you need to know before you co.wash as a stylist.
Conditioner washing is more gentle than regular shampooing. It minimizes colour damage and cuts down the stripping of oils caused by some harsh ingredients in shampoo. So if you work out daily or have bleached hair this can be beneficial to you to maintain moisture in both relaxed and natural hair.
If you decide to make co-washing a regular part of your hair care regime, stay away from silicone. Most of the time, the ingredients that end in -cone are sublets of silicone and are very difficult to wash out of hair. They are usually synthetic additives and are not waer-soluble which makes them difficult to dissolve and rinse out of your hair. This eventually ends up leaving build up in your hair.
You can over wash your hair when condition washing. If your hair starts to feel mushy or spongy, then its time to leave that conditioner bottle alone
You have to take the reaction of your scalp to the conditioner into consideration. If you have dermatitis (skin inflammation) it is best you stay away from constant conditioning as this could worsen your condition.
If you have oily hair, the conditioner could add more grease and oil to your hair leading to unnecessary build up. You can use the shampoo instead to remove some of that oil. The opposite applies to people with dry hair
Take your environment into consideration. If you live, work or move around areas with a lot of dust and air pollution you may want to stay away from the conditioner. Conditioners tend to add to the dirt because they are oil based and attract and blind particles. A shampoo would help cleanse all the dirt out .
If your hair is extra dry, then when you co-wash, seal in all that moisture with virgin oil, castor oil or coconut oil and leave it in to dry. This way you seal in the moisture in your hair strands and your hair slowly but surely starts to get all its moisture back.
Now, I know some of you may be thinking twice about that co-washing on a daily basis . I suggest adding a gentle sulfate free shampoo to your weekly hair care regimen.
One Love 😉
Malibu
Malibu_hairgoddess 